


Continue On

by lol-phan-af (lol_phan_af)



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Canon Era, Duelling, F/M, Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-21
Updated: 2016-05-21
Packaged: 2018-06-09 22:49:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6927136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lol_phan_af/pseuds/lol-phan-af
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>au where Burr misses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Continue On

They both stand a total of twenty paces apart. The sun is casting a pale shadow of the city onto the field, cloaking the five men present in the eerie darkness of early morning. The dark and cold water of the river slaps against the boats docked in the river rhythmically, mimicking the beat of Hamilton's heart in his chest.  
  
Alexander's gun almost slips from his hand with how much his hands are sweating. He faces east, loading his ammunition as if he plans to fire his gun even though he knows he will avoid actually shooting Burr. He knows he will intentionally miss him in order to keep blood from his hands. Burr, however, doesn't know that. The plan to allow one another to live past today is unfortunately not a mutually agreed proposition between the two of them.  
  
They turn to one another, eyes fixating in the darkness. Alex stares down his gun, every part of him hesitating in fear.  
  
It happens in slow motion. Hamilton's eyesight zeros in on Burr as he shoots upward, the bullet from Alexander's gun barreling into the sky as the other from Burr speeds in his direction. Burr and him make eye contact as the bullet makes its way toward Alexander, realizing that this probably wasn't the best career choice for either of them.  
  
Hamilton can physically see the breath expel itself from Burr's lungs when he sighs in relief as the bullet grazes Alex's sleeve and shoots past him. Alex sighs too.  
  
He's alive. He takes a few deep breaths, just to make sure that there isn't a bullet to stop him from doing so.  
  
He knows he should be mad. No, he should feel enraged at Burr for legitimately trying to kill him, but he's not. He runs across the field to Burr, ignoring Van Ness' warnings not to go near him. He almost tackles Burr in a crushing kind of hug, and Van Ness, Hosack, and Pendleton all stop and stare. The three of them make eye contact, not necessarily knowing what exactly happening at present.  
  
Burr is shaking, wrapping his arms around Hamilton like he actually had died and Burr is clinging on to whatever is left of his ghost. Hamilton can feel Burr's tears soak into his jacket and he is glad to say he is alive to not mind it. Burr whispers to Alex of how sorry and apologetic he is and Alex returns them, apologizing for starting this in the first place. They both apologize for being so immature as to let this escalate to such as scale, and then they part.   
  
The two men both leave on separate boats. Alex's boat rocks back and forth in the water as he shakes thinking of his family, asleep and waiting for him to return. Which he will. He'll return to them.  
  
Burr goes home, but it's a much different experience. He writes a note to Theodosia, telling her that he misses her and that she hopes her and her husband are doing well. He'll mail it tomorrow, he thinks, and sits at home in his empty house on Richmond Hill, alone.  
  
When Alexander arrives home, Angelica and Eliza are waiting for him, both in tears. Eliza is clutching the letter Alexander had written to her, explaining why he wasn't there when he woke up. Explaining why he might never be there when she woke up again. Eliza is still in her nightdress, Angelica casually dressed as she was only coming over to visit, not expecting for such a drastic situation to be taking place instead. He opens the door and Eliza gasps, even more tears falling from her eyes as she sees him. Both women rush over to him pulling him into their arms and almost crush him from the force of their embrace.  
  
"You scared us," Eliza tells him. Her and her sister remove themselves from him, Eliza moving to kiss him through her own tears. Alex curses himself for thinking that he would ever be content to leave her in any life or death.  
  
"And for that I am sorry. I had been challenged to a duel, and as you know dear, I am never one to back away from a fight. Alas, Burr missed and I live yet another day to come back home to see your beautiful face," Alexander says. Eliza gives him a watery smile, once again hugging him close to her. Alex kisses her this time, and Angelica watches fondly at the reuniting of the two.  
  
The matter is not mentioned again after Eliza recovers from her initial shock and scolds him for being so idiotic as to almost die and leave her here alone to mourn him. His children come down to greet them when the sun has finally risen fully, peacefully oblivious to the fact that had this ended differently, this could be a very different day. He sees each one of them like he hadn't before, like he has been covered in a new outlook when the bullet tore his sleeve.    
  
When he goes to sleep that night, Eliza kisses his forehead and holds him a little closer. He understands this. He did this when his mother was dying, unable to live with the possibility that that day might've been their last. He holds her impossibly closer, kissing her shoulder or wherever his lips can reach. He whispers his apologies into her skin, praying she can hear them.  
  
They wake up the next morning, and life continues on.  
  
When Hamilton finally does die, he's eighty-nine years old. The six of his eight children that are still alive are at his bedside when he dies. They cry and they mourn him and the entire country, which is now greatly expanded in terms of territory, cries with them. He is still buried in Trinity Church and Eliza still lives on to tell the story of his accomplishments for then ten years she has left.  
  
When Eliza dies, she goes to Alexander. He takes her hand and they walk side by side into the peaceful eternity that they will build together.  
  
Their six living children are there to mourn her. They bury her next to their father, and they all leave the gravesite that evening feeling just as upset as they had when their father died, maybe even worse.  
  
They endure the losses, though, and the six of them return to their lives that night.  
  
They wake up the next morning, and life continues on.

**Author's Note:**

> HAHAHAHAHHA WOW LOOK AT THAT HASTILY WRITTEN MESS


End file.
